Apparatus for treating liquids



w Sept. 19, 1944.

s. J. PUGATZ APPARATUS FOR TREATING LIQUIDS Filed May 15, 1941 m y AI/l lll-lllllll 4 Sheets--Sheec 2 c? 1 44 f4; :2 INVENTOR.

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Se t. 19, 1944. 5. J. PUGATZ APPARATUS FOR TREATING LIQUIDS Filed May 15, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 m m 0 WW L.A d ,M Z

Sept. 19, 1944. v s. J. PUGA Z APPARATUS FOR TREATINGILIQUIDS Filed May 15, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Jamaal I n 1 m. I m" "Hun" I 1 (v g A a f .M M w/ Wa n d single source.

Patented Sept. 19, 1944 UNITED I STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUSFORTREATINGLIQUIDS I Saml el J. Pugatz,;Hurleyville,N. Y.

Application Maggie, Serial Nm'ssasos j 7 This invention relate 't'o' chlorinatjng a'w Various other and detailed objects of the inratus for treating domestic water supplies, swim-:. I ming pools, sewage, etc. The treating reagentis' a liquid having available chlorine; and a reagent much used for the purpose is an aqueous solution f Other liquid reagents.

of sodium hypochlorite.

may, of course, be handled by the sameapp'a ratus, to effect treatments other than chlorina:

For many years city water supplies, swimming pools, and sometimes sewage have been treated with chlorine to kill certain bacteria." In treating drinking water supplies andswimming pools, the amount of chlorine introduced into the water'is relatively small and the residual chlorine'in the I water'must bekept within relatively 'close upper and lower limits, those limits being higher for swimming pools than for drinking water sup-r plies. The chlorine dosage required to keep the" residual, chlorine within'the required. limits varies greatly with the oharacterand' condition of the untreated water and may undergo marked seasonal and other variations for water froma' This inherently complicates the p oblemof proper chlorination andnecessitats rather continual supervision of the process. A The application of chlorinationto small individual water supplies, such as "rural :wellsand springs, has been greatly limited due to the'cost'. I

of equipment available for the purpose, the constant attention required in'servicing and regulating the apparatus, and the relatively highdegree of knowledge and skill neededby the operator dividual or small water supplies, swimming pools,

and sewage disposal systems.

Another object of the invention is 'to pate. J

chlorinating apparatus which can be madefand sold as a unit for installation on farms, at war; sum r o e rurauesi l nces, etcuand which]. is of such a character'thatthe 'apparatus-can'ib'e properly controlled and serviced by; amelatively unskilled person.

Other objects of the invention are to'irnprove' the construction of, increase the reliability of;

improve the performance of, and simplifythe maintenance and control of chlorinating. appa rzatus. i 1

vention will be apparent from the following disclosure of the best form'in which I have contemplated'applying the'invention.

Fig. 1 of the drawings is a partly diagrammatic view showing in perspective apparatus of the present invention, with parts cutaway, connected to alwa'ter supply system; f f

Figl' '2 is. a schematicidiag ram showing electrical circuits of connections'which may be used Withjthe apparatus i'n"Fig. 1'; r

Fig. 3' is atop View, from line 33 of Fig. 4,

showing a constant levelre'agent tank which is incorporated inthe apparatus.

Fig. l is a vertical section taken in general online 44, Fig. 3, showing the constant'level reagent tank and a fragment of a reagent-supply tank which feeds into the constant'level tank.-

Fig. 5 isa central: longitudinalsection" of a check valve through which the reagent (so-called chlorine solution) is fed to the water to be treated. Fig. 6is a cross section of the check valve taken on 1ine.6 6of Fig. 5. V

Fig. 7 is a cross section of the check valve taken on line 1- 1 of Fig. 5. Y Fig. '8' is a detailed view, partly in section and partly'in elevation, showing the connection of the, chlorinating apparatus to a watersupply line.

Fig. 9 is avertical section, partially in elevation',fshowing a solenoid operated valve for starting and stopping solutiom V V Fig. lO-isa horizontal'section taken in general online Ill-I0 of Fig. 9.

Fig:-11 is an elevation of a manual control member which may be usedin connection with the valvein Fig. 9.

Fig. 12 is a top plan view of a filter and metering valve assembly through which the so-called a lateh'i-l 9a. gon the inside of door -I 9 there may be provided one or more receptacles or pockets I 96 to receive bottles:of.'concentrated solutionffor re plenishing the "reagent in :the supply tank; or-

the flowof the so-called chlorine to receive a test set used for determining the amount of residual chlorine in the water. Door solenoid operated valveat 23 opens and'iclosesa conduit leading from the constant level tank 22 to a filtering and metering valve'assembly designatedas a whole by 24. From assembly 24 if the solution passes through a check valve 25 and is delivered at 26 into a pipe line 28 through which '15 flows the liquid to be chlorinated. The pipe line-7' 28 is shown, by way of example, as a suction line leading from a well or reservoir 'of water 'to a pump, but by appropriate connection the'isolue 1 tion can be delivered to other pumping systems or to. asewagesystem. z

The solutiomsupply orreagentsupply tank 2|; which is manually filled, is providedwith a float i 30 connected by a. rod3| to the-control a rmen of a commercial mercury switch '33. 'Switch33 is normally closed; "but'is arrangedtto open a i circuit (for a purpose to be described later) when tank 2| has become nearly empty. Arm 32 care: ries an anglefinger 34 jwhich'may'beselectively positioned along 'thearm; f nger is arranged" to engage apush buttonswitch"35 to closes; ci r'"" cuit as tank 2| approaches an empty, condition:

The circuit controlled by switchj35joperatesjan" alarm such as a bell'36,"whicl1 willbe referred" to later. i

Fig. 4 shows "a depehdin g'dis'charge eoiid iit which maybe threaded into andTbe in communication with the bottombf solutionsupply'ftank' 2 "ni t ttoni portion 3'8a' of conduit as is counterboiedto prov de a cylinder Io! 'al piston? like manner 39 carryinga' va vea seio whichiis' adapted in uppermost'positionto seatandfarfesf.

flow through conduit 38. Attachedft'o thebot tom or 'memb'erss is a rodai biiiieetea'tea float. 4| that is located in the constanfilvl new: Asithe liquid'levl risesir'i nstant level tanker, 7 Valve disc 40 frais ed andi'cuts oft .ithe" ifloi'zv through conduit 3;8 and' branchiconduit wra s/sl ht y; .50

I valve disc 40 is again seated through actioji ioff float 4|. Thus the liquid in tank 22 ie maintained s b iall c n lei ShQ P F -L 5 4, the center of displacement of float 4 is above the discharge end of branch conduit 42,;so1that liquid entering the constant level tank 2 2 through" branch conduit 42 is discharged beneath the surface of the liquidwithout any splashing. fro pree 6 vent r e q fi ee f en fm th e ent Q mishap, or in the event of valve 40 sticking and failing to close, an overflow pipe 43 is provided.

with its inlet point at a level substantially above the'normal level of liquid in tank 22. This overi 65 flow pipe" 43 leads to a nipple 44 projecting from the bottom of tank 22 and to which a soft rubber hose 45 is attached to conduct any overflowing liquid to a point beneath the cabinet, asshown in Fig.

is an outlet nipple 46 adapted to be,connected.by union 48 (Fig. 9) to a second nipple 49. ,As shown in Fig.9, union 48 may be constructed with face-;

Near the bottom of constant 'leveltank 22 there to -face meeting surf aces between union: elements .75

48a and 481), the meeting surfaces being provided with a series of registering concentric annular grooves as shown at 49'.

Nipple 49 conducts the reagent or solution into a bored block 50 within which there is a valve disc 5| adapted to arrest flow through the block 50. Valve disc 5| is mounted on thebottom of a plunger 52 that is adapted to be raised upon energization of a solenoid 53. So long as solenoid 53 i energized; the valve 5| is held open, but when energization of the solenoid 53 ceases, plunger 52 drops, valve 5| closes, and cuts off the flow of solution through the block 5|]. The casing 53a for solenoid 53 may be supported from block 5|] by means of a-pair of upstanding straps 54, 54 (see also Blig -10 In the bottom of block 50 there is a removable threaded plug 55 for cleaning purposesl Additionally, this plug is provided with a bore 56 to telescopically receive a removable rodlikeinember 56a (see Fig. 11). When this rod is insertedinto plug 55 and: the plug is screwed into block 50, the upper .end of rod 56a mechanically raises 'valve 5|. Thi construction provides-for manual opening of valve 5l in case solenoid 53 fails to operate. '.The solution discharge -from' blockqifl' is through a nipple.58 on the end of which ismounted the filtering and metering valve assembly 24, shown in Fig.:l. V

The details .of the filtering and metering valve -'a;ssemblyi24 are best-seen in Figs; 12, 13 and "14. This assembly includes a central tube 60 within a glass cylinderil, boththe tube and cylinderv bein clamped between upper and lower header members 62 and: I53. Glass-cylinder'fil i sealed 3., to both the upper and lower header members and i i the tube 60 is sealed to at least the lower header:

member. Supported about midwayon tube 6|] is and:.the wall of cylinder'BI.

header162::'The rod 69 is provided 'with'an' arm 10 'oarryingi'anindex H which cooperates'with a circular :scaler.12 above headerjGZi-CThuS index H and sca'le' 'lZ provide a means for gaging the :2 5 's'etting' ofvalvetwto meter'the'flowfrom tube driph'ozzle I4 10- i 60 through passageway 13 to cated iri'a'sight glass'15.

Sight glass I5'is located withinbushing lfi having oneo'rf'more pair's of alignedsight holes 160: "Bushing lfi 'is thre'addonto-a boss -pro-- jecting i'rorrr'i ihe bottom bf eader (iofiand the lower end of bushing 'lfi is screwflthre aded to ref ceive a removable screw'plug -|-8."crew plug 18 i swivelly pierced bya. nippl havingfa disc "attachedin a fiuid tightv manner-to its upper end. "Soft rubber gaskets 8 and" 82 are provided at theupper'and'lower ehdsoffsight glass 15. As plug i'ajis screwed into bushiii f'lsjthep ug t rns. :f-reely abiit nipple 19 and brii'igsgqisfcj aq'ihte' sealing engagement with gas ket -82,-at th same time forcing sight glas '15 into sealing engagement withgasket'8| Lower; header: (i3flias1a passage .11; closed by a removable cap IIa. By removing cap Ila, cham-efn.

assasar:

ber 65 maybe drained of sediment and a cleaning 1 wire can be insertedthrough passage II.

Beneath nipple-58,,the lower header 63 is bored I j and threaded in amanner corresponding to the' bores in upper header 62 which receive tube 66 and nipple 58. This; formation is closed by aremovable plug 41 (Figs. 14 and 1). To change the rate of feed of solution to filtering unit 24, plug 7 can be shifted to upper header-62 (replacing nipple 58) and-assembly 24 be elevated'and the connection of nipple 58 be madeto lower header 63 (where; plug 41 was removed). In making this change tube 66 is transferred to the lower header,

where it is frictionally held in the bore provided,

justas it is frictionally held in the bore in upper header 62. The proportions of parts are such that when tube 66 in the lower header, it discharges the solution upwardly into chamber 65 and be-.

neath screen 64. The hole in screen 84 from which tube 66 is removed, may be suitably plugged.

by a screw plug 85 having an outlet nipple 86.

The inner face qf plug 85 is provided with four intersecting radial grooves 850. which act as fluid passages. Fitted into the opposite end of body 84 is a valve-seat ring 88 which cooperates with sealing gaskets 89 and 90. A screw plug 9| is swivelly pierced by a nipple 92 that is attached in a fluid tight manner to a disc 93. When the plug 9| is screwed inplace, disc 93 is brought into fluid tight engagement with gasket 90 and sealing pressure is transmitted to gasket 89. Captive within, and slidable with respect to valveseat ring 88,'is a movable valve element 94 having four fluid passages 95. The solution entering the check valve assembly through nipple 92 passes throughfluid'pa'ssages 95,"and moves the check valve element-94 against the inner end of plug 85. The solution flows from passages 95 around the head of check valve element 94 and through passages 85a to outlet nipple 86. In case of conditions which would tend to cause reverse flow, check valve element 94 is moved against its seat in valve ring 88 (to the position shown in Fig. 5) and thereby preventing return flow.

Nipple 85 is connected by a thick-walled rubber tube 96 to a nipple 26 connected into the water suction line 28 as shown in Figs. 1 and 8.

In connection with the apparatus suitable electrical connections may be used, such as shown in Fig. 2. The motor I00 may be the motor of a conventional automatic pressure system used for pumping water. Such systems are conventionally provided with a pressure limit switch that closes and starts the motor when the pressure in the storage tank has dropped to a predetermined figure. This pressure limit switch is indicated at IOI in Fig. 2. As the storage tank fills, the pressure rises and when the pressure reaches a predetermined upper limit the pressure limit switch opens and breaks the circuit to the motor.

In Fig. 2 the electrical circuit of the pump motor I00, from the source of electricity I02, not only passes through the pressure limit switch I0 I, but also through the float control mercury switch 33 (see also Fig. 1). Switch 33 is closed so long as there is sufiicient reagent or solution in supply tank 2I. However, as tank 2| approaches an empty condition, the float 30 acts to open switch 33 and breaks the circuit to pump motor I00. Thus the pumping of water will be automatically In Fig. 1. there is shown a "35 which is operated as the float 30 approachesv its lowermost position. This push-button switch 35 is also shown diagrammatically in Fig. 2. As

solution in the chlorinating apparatus dwindles toward-the vanishing point. This is insurance against any Water being pumped without proper chlorination. When pressure limit switch IIII closes to startthe pump motor, solenoid 53- (see also;Fig. 9) is energized, opens valve 5 I, and holds it open. Thus as soonas the pump motor is started, the chlorine solution is supplied tothe water system. When pressure limit switch IN is opened to stopthe pump motor, solenoid 53 is deenergized and valve 5I is automatically closed (by the flowof the weight of plunger 52) to cut off chlorine solution.

push-button switch the tank 2| approaches an empty condition the floatactuated mechanism closes the switch 35,

thereby energizing transformer I05 to operate alarm-36 which is shown as a bell. Alarm 36 may, however, be a light or other suitable visual or audible signal, and instead of being located on top of the cabinet as shown in Fig. 1., it may be I "located at any point (in the house or otherwise) whereit is most likely to attract the attention of the proper person. Preferably the switches 35 and 33 are so coordinated with float 30 that the switch'35 will close and the alarm 36 be actuated during a warning interval-before switch 33 has opened to stop the pumping motor. 'To this end, switch 35 may be arranged to have a relatively long path of movementafter it is closed, thereby allowing'for further drawing of solutions from "tank ZI before switch 33 opens and stops the pump.

The electrical system shown in'Fig.'2 may be so arranged that the parts of it which are associated with cabinet "I5 run to one or more suitable plural prongplugs I06 (Fig. 1) arranged for plug-in connection to the pump motor electric system. In the specific circuit arrangement shown in Fig. 2, the operation of alarm '36 is dependent upon the pressure limit switch IOI being closed, which condition would normally'obtain when operation of alarm 36 is called for. However, connection from the primary of transformer I05 and from switch 35 may be made directly to the source of current (not through pressure limit switch IOI) so that operation of alarm 38 would be continued even in the event that pressure limit switch IOI opened while the alarm was in operation.

All parts with which the chlorine solution comes in contact are preferably made of materials not attacked by the solution. Such materials include rubber, hard rubber, porcelain, glass and silver. I have used soft rubber for tubes such as 82 and 96. I have used hard rubber supply tank for a liquid reagent, a constant level tank connected to receive the reagent from said supply tank, a metering valve controlling flow of the reagent from the constant level tank, means to connect the treating apparatus to apparatus suspended in the event that the so-called chlorine pumping "water to be treated;"*an electrically actuated valve operableft'o automatically start a and stop theflow of thereagent upon starting and stopping of the pumping apparatus, and means to manuauy actuate" sai'dlast mentiri'd 5 valve in lieu of electrical operationthereolf 2. In water treating apparatus having a coir-1' j stant levelrtank for a liquid-'reagentfa metering valve controlling how of the reagent f-rdm"the constant level tank, and inean's to connectthe lb treating apparatus to appar'atiis'deliveringwater to be treated; the im rovement which comprises-1* a unit in which the metering valve-"is ihcorporated', said unit having alternative connec'ti6n' meansfor locating the unit 'at difierentlevels with 15 respectto the constant level tank, to' thereb'y vary the pre'ssure head under which the reagent? is delivered to the metering'valve. 7

'3. In "water treating apparatus having a con-'-- stant level tank for a liquid reagent, enamel-13 to connect the treating apparat'usfto apparatus delivering water to be treated; the improvement which eornprisesz a combinationfilter and metering valve unit connected to receivethe reagent from said constant level tank and deliveritto 2 the water delivering apparatus; said unit-having a lower chamber to'receive the reagehtti: 'be filtered, a filter element through'which' there agent passes in an upward direction, anflupp'er" chamber to 'receiver the filtered reagent, andg means to conduct the filtered reagentirom the upper chamber downwardly to theinetering 1' valve. v V 7 4 Inwater treating apparatusr'having -a constant level tank for a liquid reagent'fand' mean-Sm to connect the treating apparatus toapparatus i delivering water to be treated; the improvement whic'hbomprises'z a filter unit connected to re ceiv and filter the reagent leaving the constant level tank, said unit having a lower chamber to 40 receive" the reagent to be filtered, a filter element throughwhich the restgent passeswin an-upward 7 direction, and an uppr chamber to 'receive 'the filteredreagent, 'and s'aid unit being provided with means to conduct the incoming reagent either downwardly belowthe-filter element or upwardly toward the filter element.

5. In water treating apparatus having T a constantlevel tank for a liquid 'r'eagent, and means to connect the treating apparatus-to apparatus delivering water tob'e treated; the improvement which comprises: a combination filter and metering valve unit connected to receive the rea'gent from said constant level tank-and deliver it to the water delivering apparatus-said'unit passing the 'reagent' upwardly through the 'filter and thence downwardly'to the metering valve; and

said unit having alternativeconnection 'means for locating the unit at 'differentlevels with re spect'to the constant level tank to therebyvary 'the'pressure head 'under'"which the reagent is through which t'hereagent passes in an upward direction, and anupper'chamber"to receive the filtered reagent, said" unit being provided with means to conduct the incoming reagenteither downwardly below the filter element'or upwardly toward the filter element, and said unit having" alternative connection'means for locating the unit-at different levels with respect to the constant level tank to thereby vary the pressure head delivered to thefilter under which the'reagent is element. SAMUEL J'. PUGATZ. 

